Intelligent Process Automation Pushes the Boundaries of Business Process Automation – CMSWire

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Business process automation (BPA) has been around for more than two decades and has mainly beenassociated with digitizing paper processes. While some organizations are still playing catch up with automating paper processes, the current buzzword around automation is intelligent process automation. So what is intelligent process automation (IPA) and how is it different from the workflow automation of the early 2000s?

In this article we explore IPA, its opportunities and challenges as well as its applications in the workplace.

The advent of machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive technologies have changed the face of business process automation. What started with simple workflow automation, which digitized repetitive manual processes to improve productivity and reduce paperwork, has matured to a state where RPA, artificial intelligence and machine learning tools provide key insights that help increase the efficiency of processes and provide faster response to customers. IPA's use cases range from intelligent document processing (IDP), streamlining workflows, supply-chain management, claims processing, case management and more.

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The promise of IPA is rooted in its ability to elevate workflow processing to another degree of efficacy, creating even more productivity, operational cost reduction, agility and better experiences all around. Some of its highest benefits lie in:

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Any new technology comes with its own sets of challenges and required dedicated effort across organizations to implement. Some of the major challenges of implementing IPA include:

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Do you envision a future where an insurance claim application is able to locate accident pictures, collect incident reports, look up claimant history, even set up calls for human interviews and make decisions based on statistical analysis of similar incidents while combing through millions of records? Well that future is here.

The future of process automation is far and wide. AI, ML, natural language processing (NLP), robotic process automation (RPA) and optical character recognition (OCR) are among the technologies that will fuel the next generation of process automation. The next step in this journey is when of all these technologies are combined to create integrated ecosystems rather than loosely coupled workflows, leading to what Gartner calls hyperautomation. As hyperautomation becomes more prevalent, get ready to see a seamless blend of robots, human employees and existing systems, which will all work collaboratively to create an intelligent ecosystem.

Geetika Tandon is Managing Director with Deloitte consulting LLP with over 20 years of industry experience with technology consulting. She started her career in IBM as a developer working on voice and RFID solutions, moving to middleware implementation and then acquired deep expertise in IT modernization, helping multiple government agencies move to a cloud and DevOps environment.

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Intelligent Process Automation Pushes the Boundaries of Business Process Automation - CMSWire